IMHO, pumps are great for working moms and moms with real supply issues and moms who want to leave bottles. For a mom who just wants to nurse and is able to nurse, using a pump introduces an unnecessary variable into the mix. Give your LO a chance to figure out how to be a good nurser, and odds are excellent that you will never need to touch a pump unless you want to.

June 11th, 2012, 10:55 AM

@llli*brogers

Re: When to pump?

Good advice! What do you suggest to do when he's fidgety and pulling? I try to burp him, then should I put him back on that side or switch? He's more likely to spit everything up from that second side as soon as he burps again, which makes me think he just wants to suck on that first side with the occasional swallow of milk.

June 11th, 2012, 11:19 AM

@llli*mommal

Re: When to pump?

Does the fidgety behavior typically occur at a certain time of day? Maybe in the evenings?

If your LO is only taking one breast and then spitting up if he nurses from the second, then I don't think you want to pump at all because it doesn't sound like the behavior is related to supply. If he was really starving, he'd need both breasts.

June 11th, 2012, 11:20 AM

@llli*aprilsmagic

Re: When to pump?

Switch sides when they fidget if you have been feeding for a while. Sometimes fidgeting is from a heavy letdown though.

June 11th, 2012, 12:56 PM

@llli*brogers

Re: When to pump?

The fidgeting used to happen mainly in the late afternoon, but now it's slowly happening earlier and earlier and lasting all day. If I let him do his thing he'll eventually fall asleep and let go, I don't know if that's a good thing or it just means he's tired from trying. And later in the day he'll take both breasts just fine; it seems the mornings are when he spits up. Do you think he takes the other side bc he wants to suck and not eat and that's why he spits up everything?

I guess it could be a phase; today all he wants to do is be latched and do little flutter sucks. He's totally relaxed right now and has been for about 20 minutes. Good thing I don't have anywhere to be!